NEW DELHI: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a direct attack at the Congress, saying the party has never tried to develop the nation.

Narendra Modi, who is being viewed as a likely contender for the prime ministerial post from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), slammed the central government, as well as the Nehru-Gandhi family in his speech at the national council meeting of the party here.

"The country is sinking, the poor are under the burden of price rise, and we cannot even feel if there is a government at the centre or not," Modi said.

"The Congress has ruled the country for several decades. At that time there was no opposition, the media was not so strong, there were not so many activists, but what did they do?"

"At that time many countries were trying to rise. India, despite of having all possibilities, lagged behind. Why? Because they never wanted the country to develop," Modi said.

Without naming any one, he launched a direct attack at the Nehru-Gandhi family: "Sacrificing the national interest for the interest of one family is the tradition of the Congress," he said.

Modi also heaped praise on President Pranab Mukherjee, and said he was sidelined so that the "family" is not affected.

"The Congress has spread like termites in the country; it is very difficult to get rid of termites. Only one medicine would work, and that is the sweat of the worker of the BJP," Modi said.

HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS SPEECH:

1. Gujarat's victory is not the victory of a single person. It is the victory of the dedicated efforts of lakhs of workers of BJP

2. Inflation has killed the country...the poor have nothing to eat and in Delhi, we can't even feel there is a government

3. The Congress tradition is to sacrifice the interests of the country for one family. They even sacrifice the interests of the party

4. They had Sitaram Kesri as the Congress president; did you feel the Congress had a president? It was as if they had a night-watchman... Sitaram Kesri was unceremoniously thrown out when the time was right...Can this country accept such an undemocratic party? When they formed the government, they chose a PM who could be manipulated? And then another night-watchman...and they did not think the night became so long

5. Even today, I feel if Pranab Mukherjee was the Prime Minister instead of Manmohan Singh, we would not have been where we are...Pranab Mukherjee has a connect with the people, understands the problems of India...but if he succeeded, then what would happen to the family

6. Congress has stifled the growth of leadership in India (cites examples of Morarji Desai and VP Singh and how they became PM after they left the Congress) "If you want to rid India of the pest (deemak) that is Congress, the ideal medicine is the effort (paseena) of BJP"

7. "Hum chalein ya na chalein, hum karein ya na karein, desh chal pada hain" The people of these country have decided to throw the Congress out...we need to think about that place being filled by the right people

8. When Vajpayee was the PM, the whole world had accepted India as an upcoming super power. After 2004, India has lost out its global position. This is a major loss for our country. There is a question mark on the future of India

9. When we undertook the nuclear test, we were isolated...the Congress had said, it was not to the credit of the Atal Behari Vajpayee-government but scientists...But the Vajpayee government had the courage to conduct a second round of tests two days later, and that is a testament to the character of the BJP

10. When I took charge in Gujarat, we had a deficit of Rs. 6,700 crore. Today, there is a surplus of Rs. 4,000 crore

11. BJP is a party with a mission, Congress is a party of commissions...Commissions for all members of the family. If you rid the country of the Congress, it will be like getting independence...The British left India, we got Swaraj; Congress goes, we'll get Suraaj

12. The candidate has never mattered in the BJP - we must go forward with our party programmes